The jury responsible for Sean "Diddy" Combs' trial has announced that they will continue their deliberations after reaching a partial verdict on four of the five charges against him. However, the jurors remain deadlocked on the most serious charge of racketeering, which carries a potential life sentence. During the proceedings in a federal court in New York, the atmosphere was tense, with Combs, 55, appearing visibly affected as he sat with his head bowed and hands folded in his lap, while his defense team offered comfort.
The jury had been deliberating for two days when they communicated their decision on Tuesday at around 4:30 PM EDT. Judge Arun Subramanian sought input from both the prosecution and the defense on the next steps. The prosecution suggested utilizing an Allen charge—an instruction aimed at encouraging a hung jury to reach a consensus, despite being controversial due to the risk of coercing jurors into altering their opinions under perceived pressure.
Ultimately, the jury concluded their session for the day and is set to reconvene on Wednesday morning. There is a possibility that deliberations could extend into July 3 as well, which is typically a court holiday ahead of Independence Day.
Over the past two months, evidence presented included testimonies from 34 witnesses, such as former romantic partners of Combs, prior employees, male escorts, and federal agents. Combs, known by several monikers including Puff Daddy and Brother Love, is a significant figure in the music industry, having recently released his fifth album, "The Love Album: Off The Grid," and being recognized as a Global Icon at MTV Awards earlier this year.
